There have been occasions this season where the Cerritos College baseball team has struggled to score runs. It happened again on Tuesday in their South Coast Conference game against ECC Compton Center. But the Falcons were the only team to push a run across the plate, as they recorded a 1-0 victory. The second game of their series will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday at Kincaid Field.

Cerritos (13-9, 7-3) scored the lone run of the game in the fifth inning off losing pitcher Pedro Fierros. With one out, sophomore second baseman Justin Walsh (Katella HS) singled and moved to second base on an infield out. Sophomore Edgar Menendez (Katella HS), assuming the designated hitter role, dropped a soft base hit into the outfield, driving home Walsh, who was running on the play.

That was enough offense for sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Arambula (Bell Gardens HS), who shut out the Tartars for 7 1/3 innings and scattered nine hits. Arambula (4-3) also struck out six batters, with freshman Jerald Johnston (California HS) coming in to earn his third save of the season.

Compton loaded the bases with one out in the first inning, but Arambula got the next two batter to fly out to end the inning. They loaded the bases once again in the fourth inning, but a strikeout and double play shut them down once again. Double plays in the fifth and seventh innings halted any more threats by the Tartars.

In the ninth inning, Cerritos looked to add an insurance run when freshman outfielder Jesse Perdomo (California HS) led off with a walk and Walsh and freshman shortstop Benny Arce (Santa Monica HS) singled with one out. Menendez grounded into a fielder's choice, with the out at home plate and freshman pinch-hitter Gavin Callender (La Serna HS) popped up to end the inning.